Method of assembling an improved bead-lock high-pressure filter utilizing a stamped metal cover, and filter obtained thereby

ABSTRACT

An improved, spin-on, bead-lock filter which is particularly adapted for use as a high-pressure oil filter in a diesel engine is provided which comprises a housing containing a filter medium and having an inwardly deformed periphery, and a cover assembly including a cover plate and a retainer plate having mutually spaced apart outer edges for forming a recess that receives the inwardly deformed portion of the housing. A gasket is seated in the recess so that both a mechanical connection and a seal is formed between the cover assembly and the housing when the periphery of the housing is inwardly deformed pursuant to a bead rolling step in conformance with the assembly method of the invention.

TECHNICAL FIELD

[0001] The present invention relates to an improved, spin-on high-pressure fluid filter of the type having a bead-lock arrangement in lieu of a rolled lock seam to secure the cover to the housing, wherein the improvement comprises the use of a low-cost cover assembly formed from stamped metal plates, as well as a method of assembly thereof.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

[0002] Spin-on filters have been employed in a variety of applications including hydraulic systems and engine lubrication systems. Such filters generally include a filter element within a housing with a cover or nut plate secured at one end of the housing by which the filter can be screwed onto or off of a filter head. A central opening surrounded by a plurality of smaller openings is provided in the cover to direct flow through the filter element contained within the housing of the filter. In an inside/out flow arrangement, pressurized, unfiltered fluid (such as the lubricating oil used in a diesel engine) enters the central opening and exits through the surrounding openings after passing through the filter element within the housing. In an outside/in flow pattern, the pressurized, unfiltered fluid enters the surrounding-openings and-exits through the central opening after passing through the filter element. A circular gasket is provided on a top surface of the cover to serve as a seal between the filter and the filter head. A spring is provided at the lower end of the housing to push the filter element in sealing engagement with the underside of the nut plate that forms the cover.

[0003] Although satisfactory in low and medium applications, generally spin-on filters of the prior art have not been satisfactory for use in high-pressure applications such as in hydraulic transmission pumps, where surges of 1,000 psi or more can occur. Most spin-on filters currently available include covers constructed of a stamped steel disk, and a relatively thinner secondary disk spot welded thereto. The base disk includes an extruded, relatively shallow, internally threaded neck portion by which the filter can be connected to a filter head. Flow openings are punched into the base disk around the neck portion. The lip at the open end of the housing is connected, by means of a rolled lock seam, to the periphery of the secondary disk which is also formed to serve as a seat for the external gasket. In this design, fatigue failure is most likely to occur at the rolled lock seam or at the spot welds. A burst failure is most likely to occur either upon bending of the cover (which allows leakage to pass the external gasket) or upon unfolding of the rolled seam. Thus, prior art spin-on filters have been susceptible to failure at the cover and/or at the connection between the cover and housing. Welding of the housing and cover is often unacceptable due to the incompatibility of housing and cover materials such that a satisfactory weld cannot be formed.

[0004] To solve these problems, the applicants developed a novel high-strength, spin-on filter in which a reliable and durable seal between the cover and the open end of the housing was achieved without the use of either a rolled lock seam, or a weld by means of a bead-lock arrangement. This filter is described and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,787, assigned to the Fleetguard, Inc., the entire specification of which is incorporated herein by reference. In this particular filter, a round cover formed from die-cast metal is provided which is circumscribed around its outer edge by both an upper, C-shaped groove and a lower groove having a rectangular cross section which seats an O-ring. The die-cast cover further includes a centrally located, threaded aperture which can be screwed onto the nipple of a filter head, and a plurality of oil outlet openings surrounding the threaded, centrally-located aperture. On the top surface of the die-cast cover, a circular groove is provided which circumscribes the outlet openings that surround the threaded aperture. This groove receives a gasket which creates a seal between the top surface of the cover of the filter and the filter head when the threaded aperture of the filter cover is screwed onto the threaded nipple of the filter head. In the method of assembling this prior art filter, the filter element is first placed into the interior of the housing. An O-ring is then seated around the second groove which circumscribes the lower part of the die-cast cover, and the cover is then inserted into the open end of the housing until the C-shaped groove which circumscribes the upper portion of the housing is positioned adjacent to the upper periphery of the housing. A roller is then used to inwardly deform the metal around the periphery of the housing in conformance with the C-shaped groove in the cover in what is known in the art as a “spin beading” operation. The spin-beading secures-the cover to the housing without the need for rolled lock seams which, as previously pointed out, are proven to rupture when exposed to high pressures. The use of a spin-beading operation to secure the cover to the housing, instead of a lock seam, allows this filter to be assembled rapidly and inexpensively.

[0005] While the filter disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,787 represents a substantial advance in the art, the applicants have observed two areas where improvement would be desirable. First, while the die-cast cover used in this filter works well for its intended purpose, it is unfortunately expensive as compared to covers formed from one or more stamped metal plates. Secondly, because the seal between the cover and the housing is dependent upon the proper compression of the O-ring between the cover and the housing, the dimensional tolerances of the O-ring, and the depth of the groove in the cover that seals it are narrow. These narrow tolerances prevent the substitution of a less precisely dimensioned, but lower cost lathe-cut gasket for the O-ring. Thirdly, when the cover is inserted into the open end of the housing incident to the assembly operation, sheer forces are applied to the O-ring that has been previously seated around the lower circumferential groove of the cover which are capable of either damaging the O-ring, or rolling it out of the lower circumferential groove of the cover, thereby destroying the cover seal. While the application of a lubricant to the seated O-ring prior to the insertion of the cover into the housing solves much of this problem, it also adds an unwanted step in the assembly operation.

[0006] Clearly, it would be desirable if an improved filter could be developed which maintained all of the structural and assembly advantages associated with the filter disclosed and claimed in the '787 patent, but whose cover could be replaced with a lower cost cover assembly formed from stamped metal plates and lathe-cut gaskets. It would further be desirable if the assembly of such an improved filter did not apply unwanted sheer forces onto any of the sealing O-rings or gaskets during the assembly of the filter, and did not require the application of any O-ring or gasket lubricants.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

[0007] It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved filter which maintains all of the advantages associated with the filter disclosed and claimed in U.S. Pat. No. 5,080,787, but which is less expensive and easier to manufacture.

[0008] It is a further object of the invention to provide such an improved filter which utilizes a relatively inexpensive cover assembly formed from stamped metal plates and lathe-cut gaskets, and which does not require the application of any lubrication to the sealing gaskets.

[0009] Finally, it is an object of the invention to provide an improved filter in which none of the O-rings or sealing gaskets is subjected to sheer forces; during the assembly of the filter which could either damage or misalign the sealing gaskets.

[0010] To this end, the filter of the invention comprises a housing having a periphery that includes an inwardly deformed portion, and a cover assembly including a cover plate means and a retainer plate means having mutually spaced apart outer edges for forming a recess that receives the inwardly deformed portion of the housing. A gasket means is disposed in the recess defined by the mutually spaced apart outer edges for effecting a seal between the outer edge of the cover assembly and the inwardly deformed portion of the housing when said portion is inwardly deformed incident to a spin-beading operation.

[0011] In the preferred embodiment, both the cover plate means and the retainer plate means are formed from a stamped metal, such as steel. Additionally, the retainer plate means further includes a deformed portion located inside of its outer edge that defines a groove for receiving a second gasket means for effecting a seal between the cover assembly, and a filter head. One of the walls of the deformed portion of the retainer plate means may function to compress the first gasket means when this gasket means is engaged by the spin-beaded portion of the housing. Finally, the deformed portion of the retainer plate means may have an exterior portion that acts as a spacer to uniformly space apart the outer edges of the cover plate means and retainer plate means.

[0012] The outer edges of the retainer plate means may be dimensioned to extend over the periphery of the housing to limit the extent to which the cover assembly may be inserted into the housing during the assembly thereof. These outer edges may be deformed into frictional engagement with the inwardly deformed portion of the housing to prevent relative rotation between the cover assembly and the filter housing when the filter is screwed into a nipple of a filter head.

[0013] The invention also encompasses a method of forming such a fluid filter which comprises the steps of providing a filter housing as previously described, placing a filter element within the housing, forming a cover assembly with first and second plate means by interconnecting the two plate means together so that they have mutually spaced apart outer edges that define a recess, seating a gasket means in the recess, inserting the cover assembly into the open end of the housing such that the periphery of the filter housing is adjacent to the recess, and deforming at least some of the housing periphery inwardly into the recess to both secure and seal the cover assembly to the housing.

[0014] The method of the invention may further comprise the step of stamping a deformed portion in the first plate means that is offset with respect to the outer edge of the first plate means, and using this offset portion to uniformly space apart the outer edges of the first and second plate means to form the recess. In the preferred method of the invention, the deformed portion of the first plate means defines a groove, and the method further includes the step of seating a second gasket means in the groove which forms a seal between the filter and a filter head when the filter is secured onto the head.

[0015] The improved filter allows the cover assembly to be made of inexpensive stamped steel plates, and further allows the substitution of a less expensive lathe-cut gasket for the O-ring used in the prior art. The improved filter also obviates the need for applying potentially damaging sheer forces to the gasket that seals the cover assembly to the housing, or lubricants to minimize the damaging effects of such forces, as the gasket does not engage the housing until the bead rolling step.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

[0016]FIG. 1 is a cross-sectional side view of the improved filter of the invention as it would appear mounted on a filter head;

[0017]FIG. 2 is a plan view of the improved filter of the invention with the filter head gasket removed;

[0018]FIG. 3 is an enlarged view of the portion of FIG. 1 enclosed by a dashed square, and

[0019]FIG. 4 is a cross-sectional side view of both the improved filter of the invention and the roller mechanism which inwardly deforms the upper peripheral portion of the filter housing to both secure and seal the cover assembly of the filter to the housing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENT

[0020] With reference now to FIGS. 1 and 2, the improved filter 1 of the invention is particularly adapted to be mounted in sealing engagement against a filter head 3 of the type typically used in the lubrication systems of diesel engines. Such a filter head 3 includes a centrally disposed threaded nipple 4 onto which the filter 1 is spun-on in sealing engagement.

[0021] The filter 1 itself generally comprises a cylindrical housing 5 formed from drawn steel, and a cover assembly 6. The housing 5 includes an integrally formed, closed bottom end 7, and a open top end 9 circumscribed by an upper peripheral portion 10. An annular filter element 11 is disposed in the interior of the housing 5. The filter element 11 is sealingly captured between top and bottom filter element retainers 13 and 15, respectively. The top filter element retainer 13 includes a centrally disposed aperture 17 for admitting the distal end of the threaded nipple 4 of the filter head, as well as an annular recess 18 which receives the upper end of the filter element 11. The bottom filter element retainer 15 includes a centrally disposed, circular wall 19 which is circumscribed by an annular recess 20 which in turn sealingly receives the bottom portion of the annular filter element 11. A spring 21 applies a compressive force between the closed bottom end 7 of the housing 5 and the circular wall 19 of the bottom filter element retainer 15 in order to bias the top filter element retainer 13 in sealing engagement against an annular seal 23. This seal 23 includes upper and lower flanges 24 a, 24 b for simultaneously sealing both the inner edge, and the inner top portion of the top filter element retainer 13 with respect to the outer diameter of the threaded nipple 4, and the cover assembly 6, respectively.

[0022] With reference now to FIGS. 2 and 3, the cover assembly 6 of the improved filter 1 generally comprises a relatively thick cover plate 25 (typically referred to as a “nut plate” in the art), in combination with an annular retainer plate 27. Both the cover plate 25 and retainer plate 27 are preferably formed from stamped steel. The cover plate 25 has a central opening 29 for the admission of pressurized, unfiltered fluid (such as unfiltered lubricating oil) from the threaded nipple 4 of the filter head 3. The central opening 29 is circumscribed by an annular bent portion 30 which terminates in a threaded flange 31 as shown. The screw threads on the flange 31 are, of course, compatible with the screw threads on the exterior of the threaded nipple 4. Circumscribing the threaded flange 31 are a plurality of peripheral openings 33 which act as flow outlets for admitting a flow of filtered fluid back up into an annularly-shaped flow inlet 35 of the filter head 3 that is concentrically disposed around the exterior of the nipple 4. The cover plate 25 terminates in an outer edge 37 whose diameter is slightly less than the inner diameter of the housing periphery 10.

[0023] The retainer plate 27 of the cover assembly 6 includes a centrally disposed, circular opening 40 which is slightly smaller than the diameter of the flow inlet 35 of the filter head 3. In its inner portion, the retainer plate 27 includes an annular deformed portion 42 having a U-shaped cross section as is most clearly seen in FIG. 3. This U-shaped deformed portion 42 includes inner and outer side walls 43 a, b, respectively, as well as a bottom wall 44. The retainer plate 27 is affixed over the top surface of the cover plate 25 by a plurality of spot welds 45 between the bottom wall 44 of the U-shaped deformed portion 42, and the top surface of the cover plate 25. A filter head gasket 46 is seated within the U-shaped deformed portion 42. This gasket 46 has an upper, tapered sealing surface 46.5 which is complimentary in shape to a frustro-conical shoulder 47 which extends down from and circumscribes the-flow inlet 35 of the filter head 3. When the cover plate 25 of the cover assembly 6 is screwed onto the nipple 4 of the filter head 3 in the position illustrated in FIG. 1, the annular bent portion 30 of the cover plate 25 applies a compressive spring force against the bottom wall 44 of the U-shaped deformed portion 42 of the retainer plate 27 to squeeze the complimentary top surface 46.5 of the gasket 46 into seating engagement with the frustro-conical shoulder 47 of the filter head 3. To prevent the inner and outer side walls 43 a, b from spreading in response to the compressive force applied to them by the filter head gasket 46, the retainer plate 27 is further provided with inner and outer bead-like shoulders 49 and 51 at the top of the inner and outer side walls 43 a, b, respectively. These shoulders 49, 51 are preferably formed by stamping in order to work harden the upper portions of the side walls 43 a, b, thereby rendering them stronger.

[0024] In its outer portion, the retainer plate 27 terminates in an outer edge 53 which overhangs the outer edge 37 of the retainer plate 27. This outer edge 53 is formed by inwardly bending a circular flange 55 that forms the outer edge of the retainer plate 27 prior to the assembly of the filter 1, as may be best understood with reference to FIG. 4. It is important to note that the outer diameter of the circular flange 55 of the retainer plate 27 is larger than the inner diameter of the upper peripheral portion 10 of the housing 5 such that the flange 55 limits the extent to which the cover assembly 6 may be inserted into the open top end 9 of the housing 5 during the assembly method.

[0025] The outer edges 37 and 53 of the cover plate and retainer plate, along with the outer side walls 43 b of the U-shaped deformed portion 42, form a generally square recess 57 into which a gasket 59 having a generally rectangular cross section is seated. While virtually any gasket may be used in this application, gasket 59 is preferably of the inexpensive, lathe-cut variety in order to minimize the production expenses associated with the improved filter 1. As may best be seen with respect to FIG. 3, the gasket 59 is compressed against the outer side wall 43 b of the U-shaped deformed portion 42 of the retainer plate 27 by a C-shaped, inwardly deformed portion of the housing periphery 10 in order to form an effective seal between the outer edge of the cover assembly 6, and the upper peripheral portion 10 of the housing 5.

[0026] In operation, the improved filter 1 is first mounted on the filter head 3 by screwing the threaded flange 31 over the threaded nipple 4 into the position shown in FIG. 1. Pressurized, unfiltered fluid flows through the threaded nipple 4 and into the center portion of the interior of the housing 5, where it is forced through the inner diameter of the annular filter element 11. The sealing engagement between the top and bottom portions of the filter element 11, and the bottom filter element retainer 15, top filter element retainer 13, and annular seal 23, does not allow the pressurized fluid flowing in from the nipple 4 to flow anywhere but through the filter element 11. Once the pressurized fluid has passed completely through the filter element 11, it flows through the annular space defined between the outer diameter of the filter element 11, and the inner diameter of the housing 5, where it collects and eventually flows through the flow outlets 33 defined in the cover plate 25. From the flow outlets 33, the filter fluid then flows into the annular flow inlet 35 of the filter head 3. The compressed, lathe-cut gasket 59 disposed between the cover assembly 6 and the upper peripheral portion 10 of the housing 5 prevents pressurized fluid from escaping through this inner face, while the filter head gasket 461 prevents filtered, pressurized fluid from flowing out between the inner face between the filter 1, and filter head 3.

[0027] The method of assembly of the filter 1 may best be understood with respect to FIG. 4. Prior to assembly, the housing 5 is circumscribed by an orthogonally disposed, peripheral flange 63 (indicated in phantom). Similarly, the retainer plate 27 of the cover assembly is circumscribed by a circular flange 55 (again indicated in phantom) whose outer diameter is greater than the inner diameter of the upper peripheral portion 10 of the housing 5. As has been previously indicated, the outer diameter of the outer edge 37 of the cover plate 25 is slightly less than the inner diameter of the upper peripheral portion 10 of the housing 5. Prior to the insertion of the cover assembly 6 into the housing 5, the lathe-cut gasket 59 is seated in the recess 57 defined between the outer edges 37 and 53 of the cover plate 25 and retainer plate 27, respectively, and the outer side wall 43 b of the U-shaped deformed portion 42 of the retainer plate 27. The outer diameter of the gasket 59 should be somewhat shorter than the outer diameter of the outer edge 37 of the cover plate 25. Such dimensioning of the outer edges of the cover plate 25, retainer plate 27, and gasket 59 allows the cover assembly to be easily inserted over the open top end 9 of the housing 5 into position illustrated in FIG. 4 until the circular flange 55 of the retainer plate 27 abuts the peripheral flange 63 of the housing in the positions shown in phantom. Advantageously, during the cover insertion step of this method, no sheer forces of any kind are applied to the gasket 59. As the cover assembly requires essentially no force to be inserted into the open top end 9 of the housing, the cover assembly is pushed down against the annular seal 23 with only enough force to overcome spring 21.

[0028] After the cover assembly 6 has been inserted into the upper peripheral portion 10 of the housing 5, a swaging roller 65 having a rounded edge 67 which terminates in a stepped portion 69 forcefully engages the upper peripheral portion 10 of the housing 5 to deform the peripheral flange 63 into the C-shaped deformed portion 61. The inner diameter of this deformed portion 61 compresses the gasket 59 such that a fluid tight seal is formed between the outer edge 37 of the cover plate 25, the outer side wall 43 b of the U-shaped deformed portion 42 on the retainer plate 27, and the inner diameter of the C-shaped deformed portion 61 of the housing periphery 10. This same C-shaped deformed portion 61 also further serves to mechanically interconnect the cover assembly 6 with the housing 5 by forming an interference type joint between the housing 5, and the recess 57 defined between the outer edges of the cover plate 25 and retainer plate 27, which in turn maintains the inner bent portion 30 of the cover plate 25 in sealing engagement against the annular seal 23.

[0029] In the final step of the method of assembly, the circular flange 55 of the retainer plate 27 is folded around the top edge of the C-shaped deformed portion 61 of the housing periphery 10 into the position illustrated. Such a folding of the flange 55 accomplishes three purposes. First, it creates a smooth, rounded edge that covers the relatively sharp edge of the C-shaped deformed portion 61, thereby rendering the improved filter 1 safer to manually handle. Secondly, it increases the mechanical coupling between the cover assembly 6, and the housing 5. Thirdly, it provides a final sealing barrier between the cover assembly 6, and the housing 5, should the seal formed by the gasket 59 fail.

[0030] Industrial Applicability

[0031] The present invention provides a high strength filter capable of withstanding high pressures without failure occurring between the filter housing and a cover assembly formed from low cost, stamped steel plates. The structure of the cover assembly allows it to be inserted into the housing without the application of sheer forces to the sealing gasket. The filter housing is joined to the cover utilizing a simple spin beading operation which deforms the housing into a recess defined in the sidewall of the cover by the spaced apart outer edges of the stamped steel cover plate and retainer plate that forms the cover assembly, without substantially stretching or thinning of the housing sidewall. A single spin beading step both seals and couples the cover assembly to the housing. While the present invention is particularly suitable for filtering liquids in which high hydrostatic and hydrodynamic forces are incurred, it should be apparent to one of ordinary skill that inventive features are also applicable to other fluid filter applications. 

1. A fluid filter assembly for filtering a fluid, comprising: a housing containing a filter medium and having a periphery that defines an open end, said periphery including at least one inwardly deformed portion, and a cover assembly including a cover plate means and a retainer plate means having mutually spaced apart outer edges for forming a recess that receives said inwardly deformed portion of said housing.
 2. The fluid filter as defined in claim 1, wherein both said cover plate means and said retainer plate means are formed from stamped metal.
 3. The fluid filter as defined in claim 1, wherein both said retainer plate means and said cover plate means are metallic, and include deformed portions.
 4. The fluid filter as defined in claim 1, further comprising a gasket means disposed in said recess defined by said mutually spaced apart outer edges for engaging and effecting a seal between the outer edge of the cover assembly and said inwardly deformed portion of said housing.
 5. The fluid filter as defined in claim 1, wherein said retainer plate means further includes a deformed portion located inside of its outer edge that defines a groove for receiving a gasket means.
 6. The fluid filter as defined in claim 4, wherein said retainer plate further includes a deformed portion located inside of its outer edge that defines a groove for receiving a second gasket means for effecting a seal between said support device and said cover assembly.
 7. The fluid filter as defined in claim 6, wherein one of the sides of the deformed portion forms a wall which compresses the first gasket means when said first gasket means engages said inwardly deformed portion of said housing.
 8. The fluid filter as defined in claim 5, wherein said deformed portion includes a portion which spaces the outer edges of the retainer plate means from the outer edges of the cover plate means.
 9. The fluid filter as defined in claim 1, further comprising means for preventing relative rotation between said cover assembly and said housing.
 10. The fluid filter as defined in claim 9, wherein said relative rotation preventing means includes at least a portion of the outer edges of the retainer plate means that frictionally engages the inwardly deformed portion of said housing.
 11. A fluid filter assembly adapted to be supported by a support device that conducts a flow of pressurized, unfiltered fluid and a flow of filtered fluid, comprising: a housing containing a filter medium and having a periphery that defines an open end, said periphery being substantially circumscribed by an inwardly deformed portion; a cover assembly inserted into said open end of said housing and having a flow opening means for receiving unfiltered fluid from said device and returning filtered fluid to said device, said cover assembly including a cover plate means, and a retainer plate means mounted over said cover plate means, wherein the outer edges of cover plate means and retainer plate means are mutually spaced apart to form a recess for receiving the inwardly deformed portion of said housing to attach said cover assembly to said housing.
 12. The fluid filter as defined in claim 11, wherein said cover plate means is substantially metallic and includes an annular deformed portion for defining a flow opening means for receiving unfiltered fluid from said support device.
 13. The fluid filter as defined in claim 11, wherein said retainer plate means is substantially metallic, and includes a deformed portion that defines an annular groove for receiving a gasket that effects a seal between said retainer plate means and said device.
 14. The fluid filter as defined in claim 13, further comprising a second gasket means disposed in said recess defined by said mutually spaced apart plate means for engaging and forming a seal between the outer edge of said cover assembly and the inwardly deformed portion of said housing, wherein the deformed portion of the retainer plate means forms a wall for retaining the second gasket means when it engages the deformed portion of the housing.
 15. The fluid filter as defined in claim 11, further comprising a gasket means disposed in said recess defined by said mutually spaced apart outer edges for engaging and effecting a seal between the outer edge of the cover assembly and said inwardly deformed portion of said housing.
 16. The fluid filter as defined in claim 15, wherein said inwardly deformed portion of said housing forms a bead that substantially circumscribes the inside of the periphery of the housing and uniformly sealingly compresses said gasket means.
 17. The fluid filter as defined in claim 16, further comprising means for preventing relative rotation between said cover assembly and said housing.
 18. The fluid filter as defined in claim 17, wherein said relative rotation preventing means includes at least a portion of the outer edges of the retainer plate means that frictionally engages the inwardly deformed portion of said housing.
 19. The fluid filter as defined in claim 14, wherein said deformed portion of said retainer plate means has a bottom portion that is secured to the cover plate means by a weld joint.
 20. The fluid filter as defined in claim 11, wherein the outer edges of said retainer plate means extend over the periphery of the housing to limit the extent to which the cover assembly is inserted into the housing and to align said recess with said inwardly deformed portion of said housing.
 21. A fluid filter assembly adapted to be supported by a filter head including a conduit that conducts a flow of pressurized, unfiltered fluid out of said head and a body member circumscribing said conduit and having an inlet opening for conducting a flow of filtered fluid back into said head, comprising: a housing containing a filter medium and having a periphery that defines an open end, said periphery including at least one inwardly deformed portion, and a cover assembly covering said open end of said housing including a cover plate means having a central opening attachable to said conduit of said filter head and at least one peripheral opening registrable with said inlet opening in said body member of said head, and an annular retainer plate means connected to an upper surface of said cover plate means and circumscribing said central and peripheral openings therein, said cover plate means and said retainer plate means having spaced apart outer edges that form an annular recess that receives the inwardly deformed portion of said housing to attach said cover assembly to said housing.
 22. The fluid filter as defined in claim 21, comprising a gasket means disposed in the recess defined by the spaced apart outer edges of the retainer plate means and cover plate means to form a seal between the outer edge of the cover assembly and the housing.
 23. The fluid filter as defined in claim 22, wherein said retainer plate further includes a deformed portion located inside of its outer edge having an interior that defines a groove for receiving a second gasket means that forms a circumferential seal between the cover assembly and the body member of the filter head when said conduit of said filter head is attached to the central opening of said cover plate means, thereby defining a sealed flow passage between the peripheral opening in the cover plate means and the inlet opening in said body member.
 24. The fluid filter as defined in claim 23, wherein a portion of said gasket-receiving deformed portion of said retainer plate means retains and compresses said first gasket means into sealing engagement with the inwardly deformed portion of the housing.
 25. The fluid filter as defined in claim 21, wherein both said retainer plate means and said cover plate means are metallic, and include deformed portions.
 26. The fluid filter as defined in claim 23, wherein the deformed portion of said retainer plate means includes an exterior that is affixed to the cover plate means by at lease one weld.
 27. The fluid filter as defined in claim 21, wherein said deformed portion of said housing is free of substantial thinning.
 28. The fluid filter as defined in claim 21, wherein said deformed portion of said housing has a substantially C-shaped cross section, and is formed by a flange that circumscribes the periphery of the housing.
 29. The fluid filter as defined in claim 21, wherein said retainer plate means and said cover plate means are formed from stamped steel, and said housing is formed of drawn steel.
 30. A method of forming a fluid filter assembly, comprising the steps of: providing a filter housing having a closed end, and an open end defined by a periphery; placing a filter element within said housing; forming a cover assembly with first and second plate means by interconnecting the two plate means together such that said plate means have mutually spaced apart outer edges that define a recess; sealing a gasket means around said recess in said cover assembly; inserting said cover assembly into the open end such that said periphery of said filter housing is adjacent to said recess, and deforming at least some of said housing periphery inwardly into said recess to compress said gasket means into sealing engagement with said housing and to secure said cover assembly to said housing.
 31. The method as defined in claim 30, further including the step of stamping a deformed portion in said first plate means that is offset with respect to the outer edge of said first plate means, and abutting said deformed portion against said second plate means when said plates are interconnected to space apart the outer edges of said plates.
 32. The method as defined in claim 31, wherein both said first and second plate means are formed by stamping.
 33. The method as defined in claim 31, further including the steps of stamping a deformed portion in said first plate means that defines a groove, and providing a gasket means in said groove.
 34. The method as defined in claim 31, further including the steps of stamping a deformed portion in said first plate means prior to seating a gasket means in said recess said cover means to provide a sealing surface between said gasket means and said cover assembly when said housing periphery is inwardly deformed against said gasket in said recess.
 35. The method as defined in claim 31, wherein said first and second plate means are interconnected by welding said deformed portion of said first plate means to said second plate means.
 36. The method as defined in claim 31, further including the step of welding at least a portion of said cover assembly to said inwardly deformed portion to provide torque resistance between said cover means and said housing.
 37. The method defined in claim 30, wherein said housing periphery is circumscribed by a flange, and said flange is deformed inwardly into said recess after said cover assembly is inserted into said housing.
 38. The method defined in claim 30, wherein the housing and the retainer plate means are circular in cross section, and the outer diameter of the retainer plate means is larger than the inner diameter of the periphery of the housing, such that said retainer plate means limits the extent to which the cover assembly is inserted into the open end of the housing.
 39. The method defined in claim 38, further including the step of deforming at least a portion of the outer edge of the retainer plate means into frictional engagement with said deformed portion of said housing periphery to provide torque resistance between said housing and said cover assembly. 